What a lucky day
by Fluffymausi-chan
Summary: What would you do to get someones attention? Either you talk to him, get on his nerves or ruin an entire kitchen. What a difficlut choice, right Alvin? (Leia/Alvin)
1. What a lucky day

_Hi there,_

_After watching the sidequest with the Mabo-curry I came up with this oneshot. Totally an Alvin/Leia-OS as you probably have guessed. (no surprise there right?)_

_If people are **interested in a sequel**, just let me know :)_

_**Warning:** Spoilers ahead._

_Be prepared for a few laughs and a tiny bit of fluff ;)_

_Also I drew a fanart about those two on my deviantartaccount. Check it out. I hope you like it. :)_

* * *

**What a lucky day**

She didn't know why she had come up with this plan, but in the end did it matter? Going through her checklist over and over again, she tried to organize everything so that it would be perfect. What she was talking about? Well, that was rather simple.

She had invited all of her friends to come and celebrate Elise's birthday. The young girl would be turning 13 the next day and Leia had still a lot of work left to do like getting the food partly ready, cleaning the house, checking the mail if there were any news from her friends and so on. But the thing that had drained her the most was her constant arguing with her mother, about the dirty kitchen (because of her practice) and her clumsiness at work. It was no surprise that Leia was relieved to hear that her parents had taken a day off and wouldn't be home until later tonight so that she could work without interruption. That was surely all thanks to her father. She knew very well from whom she had gotten that goodhearted nature.

Her head was hammering because of all the things that were still left to do but even though she was a little bit nervous, she was also very happy to see her friends again. She hadn't seen them for nearly a year now. There were just a few letters from some of them, except Alvin and Milla. There was only one person that would not be able to attend the party and she knew that there was nothing she could do about it, but feeling slightly depressed because of it. When she was already hurting this much by not seeing Milla, how much was Jude suffering right now?

Although she did not know if Alvin would show up (after not getting one letter in a year) she had sent him an invitation nonetheless. Perhaps he would come; it was Elise birthday after all. But she had to admit that she had confusing feelings about meeting him. A part of her was still afraid, even though he had apologized and done everything to make it up to her while they still had travelled together, while the other part of her wanted to see him again.

Shaking her head slightly to clear it from these gloomy thoughts, she began her search for a broom while going through her upcoming cooking in her head, when the doorbell suddenly rang. Looking up in surprise she hurriedly checked her appearance in a nearby window. It was kind of strange for a visitor to come, as there was a sign, that the restaurant was closed for the next two days. Which idiot thought that disturbing her was a good idea?

"Coming!"

Opening the door with a little too much force, she came face to face with someone she had not seen for a year.

"A-alvin?"

The mercenary in question gave her one of his trademark smirks and his stupid hand gesture. It was as if they had gone back in time. She was no longer standing at the entrance of her family restaurant but at the port where she had met all of Jude's friends for the first time. She could still recall that salty breeze and the orange light from the setting sun, that had mad his hair look like pure fire. Untamed. He had given her that exact same smile, except this time it reached his brown eyes. He was being honest, or at least he tried.

"How are you doing, kid?"

That voice. She had not been able to hear it for so long and now he was here. One day too soon. As if someone had slapped her back to life, she crossed her arms in front of her chest. Why was he here already? She still needed to prepare so many things and…

Whom was she kidding here? She was not nervous about her dinner tomorrow, but she had been scared to be alone with him. She would have liked to tell him to go away to stay elsewhere until the party tomorrow, but there was a part of her, that could not do that. Even after all he had done to her, she was not able to hate him completely. Perhaps it was her goodhearted nature. Yeah… thanks dad..

Heaving a sigh she tried to calm herself and offered him a friendly smile.

"I am doing fine. How about you? Come in."

He nodded his thanks and walked past her. Leia had a hard time hiding her flinch because he had brushed her shoulder, but he was already past her to notice it.

"Well, you know mercenaries can set their own pace to complete a mission and I got a few things left to do, but they are mostly requests to search for a few things and nothing like slaying monsters. Also, Jurgen asked me to say hello. Business is keeping us on our feet all the time and I was really lucky to get a couple of days off to come by. Where are the others?"

Leia who had finally closed the door shook her head in disbelief.

"You sure you mercenaries know how to read? The party is tomorrow you moron."

Alvin murmured some things under his breath while searching for something in his jacket. A few seconds later he held her invitation in his gloved hand only to scratch the back of his head with an amused chuckle.

"Well, I could make up a lie that I wanted to be here before all the others come, but you know me well enough to see through it."

Huffing she shook her head. How could this man even smile in her presence? Was he not feeling uncomfortable? Was she the only one feeling strange after he had …

No, no, no.

She should not think about that right now. She had a party to prepare and he was not getting in her way with his presence, his smile or whatever… Did she really think about his smile just now?

Said person was examining the small restaurant.

"You sure there will be a party tomorrow? I might not be a party planner but shouldn't there some decoration or something like that?"

Leia would have sighed again, when she saw his amused expression.

"You make it look like I haven't gotten anything done by now."

He held his hands up in defence while trying not to laugh. She could still see that teasing flicker in his eyes. Was he only here to get on her nerves?

"Woah, hold your horses kid. I was merely stating that there is some decoration missing, nothing more."

Leia was beyond angry. First he came too early and threw her in an emotional turmoil with his unexpected arrival and then he had the nerve to criticise her party-planning. He really got some nerves! Sure, she knew that she sometimes was temperamentally (just like her mother, thanks mum…) but after not getting enough sleep the past few days because of cleaning and fighting with her mother, she was constantly on the edge. This man in front of her was not making it any better by grinning at her like an idiot. There was only one thing she could do.

The next thing Alvin saw was something being thrown at him. He caught it out of reflex just to look at her in pure horror. But every word of refusal was stuck in his throat when he saw that dangerous dark aura around the normally joyful woman.

She was not kidding, was she?

"Move it, we still have a lot of things to do."

"Do I really have to wear that apron?"

The only thing he got was a nasty glance over her shoulder. Could that even be considered an answer?

Well, there was no point in arguing if she was like that. Following her in the kitchen, he had to hide his smile. At least she was talking to him again.

* * *

"You sure that it should have this colour? It looks more like a poison I have seen in Elympios than curry."

Leia froze in shock when she felt him leaning over her shoulder to examine her cooking. She was even too startled to retort with a witty remark. He was no longer wearing his precious scarf and his coat because of the dangers that awaited him in her kitchen. He had only been joking but judging by her cooking, this kitchen was more like a lab to test war-weapons than a place to prepare tasty meals. That curry could even poison someone just by looking at it, at least that was his first thought after seeing it. Too focused on her, let's call it a creation, he didn't notice her nervously darting eyes and her slightly shaking hands.

Just how long did he plan to stay there?

Her heart was already in overdrive, the minute he had entered the restaurant but right now, it was surely no longer healthy.

"S-shut up. If you would eat just a little bit of it, you would surely beg for more."

Alvin was again wearing his big smirk as he stepped back, much to her relief. A little part of her was complaining because of the loss of closeness but she shoved it that voice even deeper in the darkest corner in her head. There was no time to think about something like that. Something this impossible would never happen. Not after all…

No!

She would have spaced out if not for his next remark. Someone really got a death wish.

"So there really are people begging to be killed. I thought that were just some old legends of Rieze Mexia."

Now, that was simply too much! How dare he insult her like that? That stupid mercenary!

"You stupid…"

Without a second thought she had jumped on him and tackled him on the floor. The mercenary was far too surprised by her actions to have defended himself. He knew that she was feisty but this was also a first for him. Even Leia herself was surprised by her action. Blinking down at him she did not know what to say. Sorry? Wasn't it his fault that she was so irritated the entire time or was she simply putting the blame on him? Watching him recover from the shock, she tried to come up with an excuse for her impulsive act, when he beat her to it.

"Finally you stopped ignoring me. I was already doubting my acting skills."

"Acting skills?"

She did not know if that was the point where she should feel betrayed again or if she was just again overanalysing things.

"Well, somehow I had to draw you out. But you were either spacing out or ignoring my entire presence."

It was true. She had tried to ignore him in order to ignore those hurtful memories too. Her shoulder ached although it had happened already so long ago.

"That's the reason why you were so provoking all the time?"

And then he did something she had never seen him do.

He laughed.

It was wholehearted and honest. So he also had felt that tense atmosphere around them?

"Well, after seeing you flinch again and again, I wanted to draw you out of your shell. I had hoped we would speak again after this and that at least you would no longer be scared by my presence anymore. But this outcome is much better than what I had hoped for."

He looked rather pleased with himself and she knew only seconds later why that was the case. She was still sitting on top of him. Mumbling an apology, she wanted to stand up as fast as possible, when he grabbed her wrist to pull her back down.

"A-alvin what the hell?"

She raised her wooden spoon to hit him on the head, but was interrupted by the sound of the front door opening. Her parents were back.

"Wel…"

Before she knew what was happening, Alvin had pulled her behind the counter and not too soon. There was no chance in arguing as he had put a hand over her mouth to silence her. If this was a good idea?

Totally!

"I told you that kid would turn our entire kitchen in a battlefield! Look at this mess! If I had known that she would handle our kitchen like a war, I might have bought more supplies or at least pans that would not be destroyed by a simple omelette. This is an egg, right?"

Yeah, that was her mother and judging by her tone, it was totally not a good idea to show her face right now. But to make things even worse, her father tried to say something. Why did he have to be so helpful!

"At least she doesn't bring boys at home."

Okay, now Alvin was also in danger.

"That's what you think."

"She would never hide her boyfriend from us, I am sure of it."

From where she sat with Alvin, she could not see the faces of her parents but she knew that her mother was not being calmed down with this statement.

_Please, for Maxwell sake, don't say anything more father!_

Sitting next to Alvin, she could feel his silent chuckle vibrate through his chest. It was no surprise that he was quite amused by the whole situation. Here they sat, hiding from her parents because of the chaos they had caused in the kitchen. Showing their faces now would only lead to suicide. Even facing Gaius and Muzet was easier than her own mother when she was like this.

Taking his hand off her mouth, she sighed silently while leaning against the counter. This would not end well. There was no way out of this mess. Closing her eyes tiredly she wanted to cherish the last minutes of her life, when she felt lips touching her temple. It was only for a second but it was immediately memorized in her brain. Opening her eyes in shock, she was greeted by his trademark smirk and although there were so many things she wanted to ask, like what the hell was going on or if he had already coped with his death, but nothing left her lips. She could just stare blankly at him and he seemed all the more amused by her reaction, which earned him a quiet growl of her.

"Good to see the old Leia again. I really missed her vigorous nature."

"WHAT VIGOROUS NATURE?"

That had been more than a whisper. Just a tiny bit.

Crap.

It did not take long for her parents to find them behind the counter and while her mother was crossing her arms in front of her chest (which was a really intimidating sight you should know) while her father was gaping at them in pure horror. Leia had already made her last wish and Alvin, as if it was totally normal, was giving them his hand gesture and his smirk.

"Hi there. The name's Alvin."

She was doomed. All colours were drained from the face of the young girl at his side and perhaps she would have recovered, if the forgotten pancake (when did they even make those?) had not chosen this particular moment to make its return. What followed next was a giant explosion.

"LEIA!"

They really were totally lucky. Well, apart from running for their lives.

* * *

_Soooooo, how was this for a change? _

_I could not bring myself to write something as sad as in the first oneshot. Perhaps it's just because of the happy music I am listening to right at the moment, but whatever :D If you find any mistakes, please tell me so and also, if you want to know how that Elise birthday would be like, feel free to let me know._

_Thanks for reading it :)_

_Your FMC_


	2. Late night talk

_Hi there everyone ;) I can't help it. I had to write a sequel after there were people asking for it. This one might be not so funny as the first chapter but I still hope you like it. _

_If you are interested, I drew some Alvin/Leia fanarts on Deviantart. Check out my profile but beware of fluff :)_

_Enjoy!_

* * *

**Late night talk**

„Can you toss me the ointment, please?"

"…"

"Hey, I apologized already, didn't I?"

"…"

"Who would have thought that your mother can be this frightening? I can still feel that murderous aura from before."

"…"

"Are you by any chance angry at me?"

"You still need to ask?"

Alvin shook his head in order to hide the smirk on his lips. He would not answer that question because he knew that it would definitely end in a fight. Here they sat, treating their wounds after a failed escape from her mother. If it hadn't been for her father, there would rather be a funeral than a birthdayparty taking place tomorrow.

After being scolded (that woman was beyond frightening, even the mercenary had to admit) she wanted to know who he was and what relationship he had with Leia. What should he have answered? "I was her friend, than I have shot her and now I am here to make it up to her." Sounded more like his last words considering how angry Leias mother had been.

He had decided not to mention her painful past but instead introduced himself as her friend. Was this even right? Leia had avoided his eyes the entire time while examining the top of the table as if it was a puzzle. No help coming from her side. (Great..)

Their scolding had been rather long and now, after cleaning the entire kitchen, they had decided to treat their wounds. Flying pans sure were dangerous. Examining one as if it was a dangerous weapon, Alvin wanted to call out to Leia to tell her about his joke, when he found her staring down at the table. There was no smile or another joyful expression on her face like it used to be but instead she wore a thoughtful expression that did not fit her personality. Maybe that was just his opinion.

"You okay there, kid? What's with that look on your face?"

Taking the seat across from her he had wanted to take a better look at her face but she avoided meeting his eyes. Alvin sighed deeply. It seemed as if they had gone back to that awkward silence again. Crap. All that hard work for nothing.

Not knowing what to say to break that tense atmosphere that threatened to suffocate them any second, he could only stare at the table. Normally he wasn't so talkative, it had all been an act to make her and the others trust him, but most of his big talk had been nothing but lies and right now he was no longer sure if that had only been a façade or rather his true self. Did he even have a true self? Something that made him ... Alvin? He had no clue.

Lifting his head to see if he could read her emotions, he was not surprised when he saw her still staring down on the wooden table. It was not difficult to see what troubled her and a part of him hurt when he saw uneasiness flash in her eyes. Was it still not over? He had gone through a lot of thinking about how to make it up to her, but nothing had seemed to work. It had all gone to waste. He felt as if he had to begin a race from the start, totally exhausted and tired of all this, but still with his eyes fixated on the price. Her trust. He wanted her to look at him again, but not with fear in those big green eyes but with her usual warm glow instead. Perhaps he asked too much of her and he knew that there would be no chance to forget about that incident completely or that she would open up to him a bit more, but he would try to make it happen. He wanted that price, no matter what.

"What are you thinking about?"

She was the one that finally broke the silence. He could feel the tension disappearing and took a deep breath. It was easier to breathe again. Should he tell her about his intentions? Would it scare her or make her laugh at him?

"About a race."

It wasn't a lie. Leia looked up in surprise. Finally he was able to look in her face. Those green eyes were watching him with suppressed curiosity and he had a hard time not smiling because of her expression.

"A race? Can I really believe that?"

"Will you believe me?"

Alvin cupped his chin in his hand while leaning forward. He noticed her flinch because of the simple question. They had always joked and argued about his sincerity on their travel to save both worlds, but this felt different. This was a very important question and she knew right away that for once he was being honest and serious. It made her even more nervous.

He could hear the ticking clock not too far away and in the back of his head he briefly wondered where her parents had gone. He watched her lower her head and biting her lip. His heart felt even heavier than seconds ago, just because of this simple question. Perhaps that had been a little too much to ask.

"Look I…", he tried to take his question back but she beat him to it.

"I will try."

She answered.

He could only gape at her. Was she serious?

"Are you.."

Leia avoided her eyes for a second before giving him an uneasy smile.

"Sure? No, I would have to lie when I say that I am sure about my answer…"

His heart sank and he couldn't blame her for her caution. He would not have done it any other way. Avoiding his gaze he nodded but she was not done yet.

"But everyone deserves a second chance."

She smiled.

She really smiled at him. It was honest and he briefly wondered when he had last seen her smile. It had not been directed at him but at Milla and Jude. It never been directed at him but that one time at the port when they had met. It felt so long ago.

Alvin felt a heavy burden leaving his shoulders. She was giving him another chance.

A relieved smirk crept on his lips and he did not bother hiding it. They had finally talked it out.

"You are one hell of a person."

She tried to imitate his hand gesture.

"The name's Leia."

If someone had told him that he would someday sit in Leias kitchen laughing their heads off for whatever reason, he would have punched him in the face for the stupid joke. But here they were. His sides ached because of the heavy laughter and he briefly wondered when it had been the last time he had laughed like this. Their laughing fits lasted for a while until it was Leia who got up from her seat.

"I think we should hit the hay. Tomorrow will be exhausting. I can't wait to see them all again."

A joyful smile appeared on her face and he had to agree. Even though the others still did not like him as before, he wanted to see them. Especially Elise. There were many things he had not told her and he wanted to make it up to her. Like he had done with Leia, although there was a difference in why he had done it and which feelings associated with his reasons. But that had to wait. He was tired and she was right. (Something he would never say out loud.)

Alvin got up to stretch his aching muscles while following her with his eyes. She took a couple of heavy looking books and tried to balance them in her arms. Shaking his head with an amused smile he took a few of them from her booktower in her hands. Giving them a quick look he noticed that those were cooking books. Dis she plan to read all of them in bed?

"Care to explain why you try to lift that heavy stuff at this late hour? I never imagined you to lift books in order to keep fit."

She stuck her tongue out, but tried nonetheless to take the books, he had stolen from her, back in her arms. She had an ego as huge as his height. Maybe even bigger.

"I did not ask for your help, mister mercenary."

He put a hurt look on his face that made her even angrier. It practically screamed: I am fake! But she knew him better by now, even if it was just a little.

"Come on, Leia. We mercenaries need tasks. Let me help you and we can argue about the payment later."

Leia gaped at his amused expression and she could have sworn that he had winked at her. He had dared to wink at her! Alvin had used her surprise to take a few heavy books but in his haste he had let a thinner book fall to the floor. They looked both down and suddenly Leia was beyond flustered. She would have thrown her other books away in an instant but luckily for her novels she had decided against it. Without wasting another second after placing her booktower back on the table, she had grabbed that book and pressed it to her chest. But it had been too late.

"Your diary?"

She felt herself on the edge of crying out in despair. Why him of all people!

"N-no. Just my favourite book."

What a stupid lie. He must have read the title. Why did she even write her name on it? Her stupidity really knew no limits. Alvin put his books next to hers before crossing his arms in front of his chest. Now, this was interesting. She had to admit that she did not like the look in his eyes. That was more than a simple teasing glint. More like an inferno.

But he would not take it from her. He had changed and he surely knew that this was something very important to her. He would not dare lay a finger on it. She was sure of it!

Before she knew what to do or say, he stood in front of her and took her diary out of her hand to run around the table. She was speechless. How dare he steal her most treasured possession from her!

"Give it back!"

It was no surprise that he did not do as she said. Alvin grinned at her before opening it to her horror.

"Now this is interesting. Let's read a few lines in order to get even with my little embarrassing story you heard from Balan."

Running around the table she tried to grab the book from him but he held it too high for her to grab it. All colour drained from her face when he read out aloud a few words she had written so long ago. Suddenly all her attacks lacked power and she felt all her strength disappear in thin air.

"I think it's the last time I will see Jude again. Maybe it's the best this way. He is constantly thinking about her that I don't know what to do and …"

Alvin stopped. Now this had not been something he had wanted to read aloud. The second he had wanted to apologize, he was greeted by an angry face that looked beyond pissed and a hand that snatched the book from him. He had expected her to slap him but nothing happened. In the back of his head he tried to ignore the pang in his chest when he read Jude's name.

Leia had pressed the diary against her chest and her back was now facing him. She did not cry and he had thought he had seen the date she had written those lines. If he was right, she had written that entry a year ago just after their journey.

Nervously scratching the back of his neck he sighed. Had he gone too far? This should only have been a game, nothing more.

"Sorry.. I, I don't …"

He did not know what to say, but she did that for him instead. He had expected her to cry but nothing happened.

"You and the others knew about my feelings back then didn't you?"

What should he say? Should he lie? But he had changed. He had to tell her the truth.

"It wasn't really hard to guess."

She laughed a little, but it didn't sound like her joyful one. Turning back to him, he saw that she was indeed not crying; just looking a little sad.

"It's in the past right now and I am over it. So are we even now?"

He had wanted to ask her if she was alright but giving her a last thoughtful look he came to the conclusion that she did not want to talk about it anymore. Instead he nodded and took all of her books on his arms.

"Let's get to bed."

She did not argue with him about carrying the books but led him quietly. They reached her room soon where he put that bookmountain on her desk that nearly gave in under the heavy weight. They had not talked again and just when he was about to leave (her room and that tense atmosphere that made it hard to breathe again) she called his name.

He turned back in the doorframe but before he could ask her what she wanted, he felt soft lips on his cheek.

Opening his eyes wide in surprise he was not able to do anything. The kiss was nothing more than a peck but he felt like they had stood ages in her doorframe. The only light source was in her room and it was difficult to see something but he had seen her flushed face and felt her warm presence. If he had not been so surprised, he would have taken her in his arms. Why? He did not know. This whole evening had been nothing but an emotional roller coaster ride. Anyhow he got no time to think let alone say anything. The last thing he registered in his mind were her lips that left his cheeks only to leave a burning sensation and her whispered "Thank you" before the door was closed in front of him.

Alvin just stood there for a few seconds unable to comprehend what had just happened. First she had been angry, than silent and now she was happy again. He could not quiet follow her emotional changes and even less think of a reason for all of it, but he would not argue. Why? Her pay for his help had been rather generous. A wide smirk crept on his lips while he walked to the guestroom. Being a mercenary sure had its advantages.

* * *

_No, it's not finished yet. I want to bring Elise in as well, because I think she is an important character to Alvin. Be prepared for more fluff to come ;)_

_If you find any mistakes please let me know, my computer told me there were no mistakes but you know it goes ^^_

_Thanks for reading._

_Your FMC_


	3. Let's wish

_Wow, I only wanted to write a nice ending for those oneshots, but somehow the text didn't seem to find and end until I had 14 pages in Word. This is somehow a mix of comedy, drama and last but not least a huge amount of fluff, so be prepared. :)_

_I really hope that you like this last oneshot. Thanks for reading it and I hope more people will write for the Tales of Xillia-fandom._

_Disclaimer: The characters as well as ToX don't belong to me. If I owned it, Alvin and Leia would have had more screentime and more development._

Enjoy.

Your FMC

* * *

**Let****'****s wish**

The next morning came with hurried footsteps. He wanted them to pass his door when he heard a fist hammering on his door, he knew that lady luck was not present this morning. Putting his white shirt and pants back on, he opened the door with a big yawn. It was normally not like him to sleep in but after all that chaos from the day before and his long trip to reach that house full of kind-hearted crazy people, he had been exhausted and glad for the comfy bed.

It was no surprise that it was Leia standing in front of him. She looked like she had been up for a few hours already which made him wonder what time they had.

"I need your help with the decorations and the cooking, so get ready."

"No good morning?"

Alvin had to stifle another yawn in order to answer her; it wasn't a question was it? It sounded more like an order to him. He knew perfectly well from whom she had gotten that that way of talking. Just thinking about her mother made his bruises hurt again. Even after a First Aid! Speaking of which…

"What about your parents? Where are they?"

She sighed.

"Well, my father had planned to help me but with my mother ordering us around we both came to the conclusion that it would be better to do things without my mum. So my father had convinced her to spend a night at an inn and he will stay there too."

Now he could understand her sight. That surely sounded like a lot of work. Rubbing his neck he gave her a sleepy smile before crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"So you expect me to follow your commands, kid? And that all without a 'good morning' and lovely breakfast? You don't really get the idea of motivating your staff?"

Instead of getting angry, she gave him a huge smile which made his still sleepy mind wake up in horror. What had he done?

"My staff? That's a nice idea mister employee. You have 5 minutes to get ready and appear in the kitchen."

Great, he had shot himself in the knee.

He saw that ominous smirk on her lips and even though he was a grown man (sometimes) he had to admit that she scared him with that sinister look. Perhaps he still had a chance to break out of it? He opened his mouth to save his neck but another dark look made his words die in his throat only to end up in a hoarse cough. She went down the corridor to return to the kitchen, but not after reminding him of his given time.

"5 minutes."

It could have been his imagination but did he really hear her laughing like a maniac just now?

* * *

They had nearly everything done by now. The meal was ready and judging by Alvins hungry expression, it seemed as if she had done well. She had stayed up late yesterday to read a few of the cookbooks her father had written to get the 'Special Chicken Leronde' right. This was Elise birthday after all. Just by thinking about her friends, she felt her mood lighten up even more. This did not go unnoticed by Alvin who stood next to her placing napkins on each plate.

"You seem in a good mood. How's that?"

She gave him a strange look.

"What do you mean? Aren't you also happy to see them all again?"

He stopped in his actions for a second as if he was surprised by the question.

"Sure I do. The question is: Will they be happy to see me?"

Leia did not know what to say. He was right. Especially Elise had been angry with him and had told him on many occasions that she hated him, but she had thought that they had made up before the grand battle. Had she been wrong?

Placing a hand on his upper arm she gave him an encouraging smile.

"I am sure they will all be happy to see you again."

He still did not look as if he should believe her or not but what other choices did he have?

"Sooooo, what present do you have for Elise?"

There it was again, that curious look that made her look even younger. Hell, she looked adorable like this. Adorable… Yeah, that would fit her perfectly. Leaning towards her he could see her fidgeting with her skirt because of the closeness but she had not moved away. Giving her his trademark smirk she felt her head heating up within seconds.

"I cannot tell you. It's a secret."

Leia frowned at him.

"A secret?"

He nodded with a mysterious smile forming on his lips. If it was possible, he was leaning even closer to whisper in her ear.

"I might tell you if you pay me again."

Pay? What did he mean? And suddenly it hit her. The kiss from last night. Well, it had not been a kiss more like a peck but anyway. He wanted to kiss her? Her heart was hammering in her ribcage and she didn't know why it was this hot all of a sudden. Did he feel the heat too or was it just him giving of this warmth? What had gotten into her?

Everything was happening so fast. First he had backed away from her to resume his task with the napkins, but was soon interrupted again when he felt her hand grabbing his wrist. There was no time to think. She craved that warmth. She had felt it the day before when he had kissed her temple and then when she had kissed him goodnight. That warmth was fuel to the spark, that was about to explode in her chest. She was no longer reasoning in her head but acting on impulse. Pulling him closer to her she put her arms around his neck to let herself lean against his broad chest. Closing her eyes in content she felt the smile getting broader with every breath she took. He did not push her away and it was safe to say that he was beyond speechless. Just what the hell was going on? First they had been all emotional about their friends, then she had wanted to cheer him up and now she was hugging him… That did not make any sense. He had opened his mouth to ask her what had gotten into her and why she was so comfortable around him all of a sudden, when he felt himself pulling her closer. Hiding his face in her neck he inhaled her scent before placing a soft kiss on her collarbone. He felt her shudder because of the contact but smiled against her warm skin. He thought he had heard her whisper his name but maybe his clouded mind had made that up. Clouded? Because of what?

"Leia, wha…"

All words died in his throat when he heard the door opening. The spell was broken. Taking a step back to bring enough distance between them, they faced the door. Jude was just coming in and gave them a joyful smile. He had not seen them and they both sighed in relief.

"Hey guys."

Alvin tried to smile but somehow he ended up taking his fake smile again.

The spell was broken.

* * *

After a short exchange of greetings, Alvin had told Leia that he would take care of everything so she could get ready. Both had avoided looking each other in the eye and the awkwardness was back again.

Jude was now standing in the kitchen next to Alvin lending a hand to prepare canapés as appetizer. They stayed quiet for a while, concentrating on their task at hand, when the mercenary broke the comfortable silence.

"How you're doing kid?"

Alvin took a sip from his champagne. The last time he had seen the black haired medical student, had been a year ago and he could see that the once weak and shy boy had grown into a fine young man over the year they had not seen each other. Even though he looked happy, Alvin could see dark circles under his eyes. Being a doctor must be stressful and tiresome or was it something different that kept him from sleeping?

Jude leaned on the counter while examining his glass of water in his hands. He smiled but it looked tired and a little forced.

"I am fine."

That was no surprise. Jude had never been one pester people with his problems. He mostly kept them to himself in order to get over them with his own strength. He reminded him of Milla. Speaking of her…

"There are many things to take care of in Fenmonth and I have to attend many meetings because of the whole new Spyrite research. It's hard work but in the end, I can finally see some progress."

Alvin nodded with a smile. That sounded more like Jude.

"That's good news. I think I even saw a few articles in the last newspapers I bought. You sure made yourself a name."

Jude rubbed his neck to hide his embarrassment which earned him a hearty laugh from his friend.

"No need to be so shy about it Doc. I am sure you get all the ladies with your name."

As if someone had switched off the light, Jude's mood had dropped visibly. Alvin did not need to be a psychic to know why his friend was so miserable. He had seen how strong the young man had felt for the spirit. Turning his attention back to his task at hand, he decided that it would be time to talk about it.

"Anything new from Milla?"

Just by speaking the name out loud, he could see him flinch but there was no way that he would stop his plan now. The silence between them grew and just when he had wanted to repeat his question it was Jude who gave in.

"No, nothing. I don't know. I haven't heard anything from her since we parted ways. I know that I should be strong, not only because of her but I had promised it to Gaius. It's just .. hard."

His voice had dropped to a hoarse whisper and sounded slightly broken. This didn't fit the usual cheerful and optimistic man. Alvin avoided looking at him. Somehow he got the feeling that someone seeing him like this was the last thing Jude wanted.

"No one asked you to be strong all the time, kid. As far as I know there is nothing wrong with missing a person. She did not disappear completely and I am sure she is still watching us with the Four and gaping at the delicious food we have here."

Jude chuckled at the thought. That seemed imaginable.

"You are right. It may sound crazy but sometimes I get the feeling that I can feel her presence close to me."

Finally turning to his friend, he put an arm around his shoulder like he did back then.

"I always thought that you were a little crazy."

"And yet you are staying here in this house. Who's crazy now?"

Alvin blinked in surprise.

"Whoa kid, that coming from you? What has happened during that last year?"

Jude shrugged with that teasing smile.

"I would like to ask you the same thing. Did I miss something with you and Leia?"

As if he had been thrown in cold water, the smirk had been washed from Alvin's face. Had he seen them after all? Stepping back from the amusing looking teen, he searched for his champagne glass.

"I am no doc but I think you hit your head pretty hard."

Jude chuckled at the discomfort of his friend. It was rather obvious that there was something going on between his friends. At first he had felt a slight pang of jealousy. Not because he was interested in Leia. He liked her but his feelings for Milla run way deeper than anything he had ever felt before and perhaps that was the reason why it hurt so much. Just by imagining Alvin and Leia together he felt reminded what he would never have. He would never be able to take her in his arms, to make her laugh or kiss her. But after seeing them hide their affection, not only from him but also from the other, he felt kind of sad.

At least they had a chance to be together.

"You are lucky, Alvin. Don't throw your chance away."

"What ar…?"

The doorbell rang and announced the arrival of the remaining guests. Giving the young man a last glance Alvin could have sworn that he saw an encouraging smile on his lips. Maybe it was only his imagination.

* * *

After greeting Rowen, Driselle and Elise, who had brought Teepo along for the old time sake, Alvin had excused himself to look for the original host. Where was Leia? He knew that women needed time to get ready but Leia had broken the record with 1 hours and 34 minutes. What the hell was she doing? Knocking on her door he called her name.

"Hey. You know that you are the host of the party don't you? People are asking me already if we are married and if I am living here. Care to join in the fun?"

"I can't.", came the muffled response from behind the door.

Raising an eyebrow he had the urge to sigh heavily but refrained from doing so. She sounded bothered and being annoyed would not help to solve the problem.

"What's the matter?"

He had the suspicion that it was because of him that she had fortified herself in her room. Leaning on the door he put his hands in his pockets while examining the wooden floor. Why was everything so complicated?

"I can't tell you."

Alvin would have cried out in frustration but stopped himself the last minute.

"How can I help you when you don't want to tell me about your problem? Look, kid. Normally I am not the one who offers help so as this is my first time doing so, I expect you to feel flattered and tell me what the heck is going on."

Silence was the only answer at first until he finally heard her approaching the door to open it.

He had expected her to need help with a zipper from a dress (or more like he had hoped… Wait! What the heck) but instead of asking for help she just stood there in front of him in a lilac coloured dress and a shy expression. She seemed uneasy and after giving her an once-over look he had a small idea why she was embarrassed.

That dress looked awful. The form of it reminded him of a potato bag because it hid every curve of the young woman. The only thing acceptable was the colour but apart from it, that … eh piece of clothing was not even worth calling a dress. Why did she wear something like this?

"How do I look?"

A lie. He needed a lie! She could not get down wearing something this ridiculous for a party. Hell, that bag-thing was not good for any occasion. Even though voicing his opinion might lead to a painful death he had promised to change and right now he would stick to the truth. (Goodbye world…)

"Horrible. If you are gonna wear this, I am out of here."

He gave her his most serious expression and waited for the coming explosion. Her head was no longer flushed but bead red. Embarrassment had been replaced by anger and before she could unleash her fury he had pulled her alongside back into her room to take a look at her mountain of dresses lying in front of him. It seemed that there had already been an explosion in this room. It would explain why the clothes were laying everywhere.

"You stupid bar…"

"No, the only one who can call me barbarian is the little princess."

Alvin looked up from his task of searching a suitable dress and smirked at her which made her even madder. Great.

"What the hell do you think you are doing? You cannot enter a girl's room without her permission? Where are your manners?"

He was honestly surprised.

"Did I even have manners to begin with?"

"ALVIN!"

* * *

"There you are. I thought you would never come down. You really took your time."

There was an ambiguous undertone in Rowen's voice which made Leia blush and Alvin grin like an idiot. He was never one to back down from a fight. (Yeah that sounded new, even to him.)

"No worries gramps. Perhaps we will name one of our kids after you?"

"Alvin!"

Leia was beyond embarrassed and she wanted to disappear into thin air. Rowen saw her discomfort and decided that he would spot talking about it, although it was an amusing sight, seeing the two youngsters hide their feelings. Oh, youth..

"Miss Leia, I am grateful for the invitation and I hope you have been doing well during the last year?"

Even though her face was still a little red, she smiled warmly at the elder man. He had after all been one of her closest friends while travelling back then. He had listened to her worries and her troubles in her love life.

"Yeah, I am fine. Work is a little tiresome but I think I did the right choice to work at the restaurant instead of being a nurse. Thank you again for all your help, without your support I would never have come this far."

Rowen bowed slightly.

"Don't flatter me. The only thing I did was listening. You did all your decisions on your own. If I may voice my opinion, I think this dress looks fabulous on you."

Looking down on her peach-coloured dress, Alvin had made her wear after a long discussion, she became self-conscious again. Instead of hiding her body, this dress did everything to highlight her curves Without showing too much skin. She had forgotten about her attire as well as the man still standing behind her while she had been talking with Rowen. An arm was put around her shoulder and she felt herself being pulled against a warm body. She knew his scent by now.

"You got that right. That kid doesn't have any fashion sense. Fortunately I was there to avoid a disaster, because let's face it; wearing a potato bag is close to committing a crime."

Rowen chuckled behind his hand while Leia was busying freeing herself out of the young man's grasp. Her dress got a few wrinkles from her action but she smoothed them out.

"I do have fashion sense!", were her last words before she disappeared into the kitchen leaving two grinning man behind.

"You do have a fine taste too, Alvin."

"Why do I have a small feeling that we are no longer talking about clothes anymore?"

Rowen gave him a knowing smile before joining the other people in the living room. Alvin was left at the end of the stairs wondering if his friends had all gone mental.

* * *

"Leia!"

Before she could react she felt a small body hugging her middle nearly knocking her winds out. Smiling down on her younger friend she suddenly came face to face with Teepo. The doll did not waste any time but snuggled into her chest.

"Leia finally has bazongas!"

"Teepo!"

"Doll, get your creepy face of her."

Pulling Teepo away from her, Alvin gave it a serious look that made it cringe and hide behind Driselle.

"Wahhh Alvin's scary!"

Jude and Rowen exchanged a knowing look that (honestly speaking) pissed him off. What the hell did they know? Leia wanted to say something when she felt Elise pulling away from her. The young girl turned to Alvin and suddenly there was a tense silence. Even Teepo was quiet.

"Hey spud."

Elise was staring at the ground, playing with the hem of her dress before raising her head. She smiled. All of their friends looked rather relieved that there would be no fight after all.

"Hello big fat liar."

There was no anger or distrust in her voice. She was honestly happy to see him again and without thinking he had kneeled down in front of her, opening his arms in an inviting manner. Elise did not wait a second before hugging him. Alvin would have never said it out loud, but he had felt nervous. But now, he felt that giant weight being lifted from his shoulders and he was glad that she was still smiling at him.

Perhaps her being warily all the time, when they had been travelling together, was a reason for why he liked that little girl. She had been honest with him all the time and had even forgiven him back then while they had been sitting on those swings in Trigleph. She had somehow helped him with his decision to join their group in order to fight Maxwell.

"Happy Birthday, little princess.", he murmured which earned him a big happy smile.

"Thank you."

And for the first time, Alvin wondered if having a little sister felt like this.

* * *

The meal had been a success after looking at the cleaned plates. Reading those cooking books and practicing her skills had panned out after all. Their friends had eaten most of the food and the mood was great. Driselle was talking with Leia and Elise about some clothes she had spotted in Kanbalar while Jude and Rowen were discussing things about work with Alvin. A few times the mercenary felt his gaze drift to the young woman who was laughing heartily at a joke Teepo had cracked or listening attentively to something Driselle said. Leia looked happy and at ease. A faint relieved smile appeared on his lips when a cough pulled him back to reality. It was no wonder that he found himself being grinned at by his two male friends.

"What's with those stupid faces? Did I miss something?"

But both Rowen and Jude did not get the chance to say something when Leia rose from her seat. Alvin had a small idea what was about to happen, when he saw her sparkling eyes. Oh yeah, he knew totally well what she had in mind. Those happy eyes could only mean one thing.

"Time for cake!"

In other words: Chaos ahead.

In order to prevent that from happening (adding a big cake to her hyper mood would only end in a disaster) he followed her in the kitchen. Leia was so busy decorating her big cake with a few ornaments of Marzipan that she didn't hear him coming until he was speaking.

"Need some help?"

Leia looked up in surprise and nearly knocked the cake off the table if he had not saved it.

"Close on. Is that some special cooking skill? I don't remember throwing food to the floor would make it tastier, but I could be mistaken."

"Why did you have to sneak up on me like that?"

Leia glared at the man in front of her who only smiled sheepishly. She would have thrown whatever she had at his stupid grinning face but he was still holding her priceless cake in his hands. With a growl she put her throwing weapons, also known as Marzipan roses, back on the table. Since he was here, she could speak to him in private.

"So, are you going to tell me what your present is?"

She had wanted to hide her curiosity by all means but he saw right through it. His smirk was getting even larger if that was even possible.

"I thought it was usual to give the presents when the cake is served."

Good one. She had told him that yesterday when they had been cooking. Leia frowned at him but he gave her only an amused look before carrying the cake out of the kitchen. The only thing she could do was follow him with an annoyed expression. It bothered her that she didn't know what he would give Elise. Why she was so hard trying to get him to answer her question? It was rather simple. She wanted to see if she was able to see through him and understand him better, but after spending 2 days together, she still hadn't come up with an idea what the present would be like. It felt as if he was a stranger all over again.

She would have continued with her sullen thoughts if Alvin hadn't poked her in the ribs. Before she could ask what he wanted from her, she saw the impressed looks on the faces of their friends. Even Rowen seemed at a loss of words. Elise was gaping at the cake with huge eyes sparkling with amazement. All because of the cake?

While they were all eying her creation with joy and wonder, Alvin leaned towards her with one of his trademark smirks.

"Looks like you did well. Congrats."

Leia was only able to nod and hide her blush by turning her face away from him. Petting her head he walked past her to get to his seat next to Jude, when he heard her whisper.

"Thanks."

"Can I cut the cake?"

Jude had taken the knife from Alvin and everyone looked at Leia who felt flattered with those happy faces. Only because of a cake. Especially the huge smile on Elise face made her hard work worth it. Teepo was flying around the cake as if to memorize everything about it, when she gave her childhood friend a nod. Needless to say that the cake exceed all expectations. Elise had put down her empty plate and beamed at her elder friend.

"Thank you Leia. Your cooking is amazing! Right Driselle?"

The young governor was busy eating her third piece and could only nod in embarrassment when everyone was giving her an amusing look. Leia rubbed her neck in discomfort and had trouble hiding her blush when Rowen cleared his throat to get everyone's attention.

"I don't want to seem rude, but I thought this might be a good idea to give our presents."

Judging by Elise eager behaviour, they all decided that they had waited long enough. Rowen was the first to give the young girl her present.

"As you all know, I don't have children on my own and no grandchildren. I never got the chance to have a family on my own. But after travelling with all of you, I somehow began to understand how it is like to have a family."

He gave his friends a warm smile, before bowing in front of Elise.

"And meeting you, young miss, was one of the greatest pleasures. I could never imagine a better grandchild as you. Happy Birthday, Elise."

They were all looking at the elder man with open mouths; no one knew what to say. Driselle had tears in her eyes but was smiling fondly at the scene in front of her and even Leia was having troubles not to cry because of that touching moment.

Elise was too surprised to stop herself from crying. All those past years, before she had joined the group, she had been hated and no one had wanted to be with her. Her parents were dead and even Jiao who had protected her all the years because he had felt guilty, was no longer in this world. Looking around with more tears streaming down her cheeks, she saw all the faces of her friends and Rowen's words echoed in her head. She had a grandfather. Hiding her tears with her hands she sobbed loudly when she felt a large hand on her head. She was no longer alone. She had Driselle, Rowen, Jude, Leia and Alvin. Her family.

"Thank you, Rowen."

When she had calmed down a little and had taken her hands off her face, she looked at the present he held out for her. Driselle came up next to her and laid a hand on her shoulder.

"This present is from the both of us, Rowen and me. We are glad that you live with us together and I hope you enjoy it as much as we do. I am happy that I got to meet you. Happy Birthday Elise!"

Biting on her lips to stop herself from crying again, Elise nodded while opening the present with shivering hands. Leia and Alvin stood next to each other behind Jude who was still sitting across from Elise and were trying to catch a glimpse of what was inside the paper, when they saw her gasp in surprise. In her hands she held a violet dress with a floral design on it. It weren't just any random flowers but her beloved princesshia flowers. Staring at it in pure wonder, she stood up to take a good look at the dress while Teepo was also examining it in silence.

"I take your silence as a good thing.", Driselle joked while Rowen was chuckling to himself.

"I love it! It's beautiful. Thank you so much Driselle, Rowen!"

Looking shyly to her friends, she did not know what to do, when Driselle pulled her in a tight hug.

"You are welcome. Now I think Jude wants to give you something. Let's not make him wait any longer."

Said young man rounded the table to stop in front of the young girl.

"I wanted not only to wish you for your birthday, but also thank you for everything you have done for us while we were travelling together. You were a big help and I am glad that we were able to meet. You are a strong little girl and I wish you all the best…"

He stopped as if arguing with himself for a second before giving in.

"I know that Milla would wish you the same if she was here."

He had tears in his eyes but was still smiling. There was no point in not saying her name. She would always be with him and he knew that Milla had loved the little girl.

"Thank you, Jude."

Handing her his little present, she wasted no time in opening it. Teepo was sitting on Jude's shoulder while everyone was peering down at her to see what the young doctor had gotten her.

Alvin was the first to say something.

"You got her a ride on a wyvern?"

Driselle was surprised while Rowen was busy not remembering the times he had flown on such a creature. Those had not been all too pleasant moments in his life. Leia was making a face as if she had bitten into something sour, whereas Alvin had trouble to stifle his laugh. He would never have thought that Jude would suck so much in choosing a present for a little girl.

Before he could make fun of his friend, it was Elise who got all the attention with her giggle. Teppo was no longer sitting on Jude's shoulder but had again swallowed the face of the young doc while singing how happy he was because of the present. Alvin could not believe it. How could she be happy about such a present? He had been right. All his friends were crazy.

"You just thought that we are all crazy, didn't you?"

How come she had been able to read his thought? He could argue with her, but there was no point denying it anyway.

"It's true isn't it?"

"You…"

Her smirk had vanished and now she was frowning at him: a clear sign that she was getting angry, so he took his present and hurried to Elise to flee from the ticking bomb.

The girl looked up in anticipation and somehow she reminded him of Leia with her curious big eyes.

"Here you go, little princess. Happy Birthday…"

He halted and looked back to Leia, who gave him a puzzled expression, before he continued with a charming smile.

"From me and Leia."

All eyes shot to Leia who had not expected such a thing. She blushed furiously while mumbling curses under her breath. Alvin tried to ignore the nasty glances in his back and passed his hand through his hair while watching Elise unpack his present. He would never say it out loud but he loved to tease the girl.

Before he could dwell on his thoughts it was Elise who pulled him back into reality with a question.

"What is this?"

Examining the device carefully in her hands, she looked up to him with a puzzled expression. Alvin kneeled down to her and took the object from her hands to show her how to hold it properly.

"This is called a camera. There are only a few people who have something like this in Elympios. It cost me a lot of time to find someone who would sell it to me."

Jude came up behind them to look at the camera with a thoughtful gaze.

"What can it do?"

"Pictures."

"Pictures?"

His friends were now all gathered around them and eying the object with curiosity. Rowen was the only one not gaping at it like the others but stroking his beard with a pensive look in a distance.

"Yep, pictures. Like for example we take a picture from … let's take a pic from gramps here."

Holding it so he could see through the finder, he waited a few seconds before releasing the shutter. There was a Klick-sound and everyone was waiting when there was suddenly a paper emerging from the so called camera. Rowen was so deep in thought, he had not listened to what Alvin had been saying and while everyone was focused on Alvin fumbling with the camera, he left the room. Taking the paper with two fingers he fanned it in the air for a few seconds before handing it over to Elise. She stared at it in pure wonder and all the others did not know what to say but, when they suddenly realized that Rowen was gone. To say that they were all panicking was an understatement.

"Where is Rowen?"

"How the hell did Rowen got into that paper?"

"What kind of magic is this?"

"What have you done you poor excuse of a mercenary?"

"Rowen, are you alright? Can you hear us?"

Needless to say that Alvin had to explain the entire function of a camera to them to survive the day. When Rowen came back he found his friends glaring daggers at the mercenary while he was growling at the elder man.

"Did I miss something?"

"You will pay for …!"

Before an argument would break out, Driselle intermediated with a remark. (She felt no need to listen to two men bickering like little children.)

"Elise, we forget to put candles on the cake! You have to wish for something!"

Looking at the table, they all agreed that the leftovers from the cake would definitely not be enough to put candles on it. Aside from the fact that it would look horrible. Leia pondered for a few seconds when she came up with an idea. Leave it to her to find a solution for everything. She would become a great party-planner. Would she plan her own wedding? Alvin shook his head over his stupid thoughts.

His eyes drifted to Jude who looked tired and gloomy. It was not difficult to know what he was thinking about when he played with the token he had gotten from Milla back then. Whenever Elisa was looking at him, he forced himself to smile and although not only Alvin had seen the sad look on his face, no one dared to say anything just to preserve the good mood. It was Elise's birthday after all.

They gathered around Elise and Rowen who summoned a small flame on his fingertip. It was no candle but it would do the trick.

"Now, you have to wish for something before Rowen melts away.", Driselle joked which made Elise giggle.

Both she and Teepo took a deep breath after exchanging a glance to blow at the tiny flame. Everyone smiled down at the girl, when Leia asked her with her big eyes, what she had wished for. Elise looked down to hide from the curious looks when she answered the question in a shy whisper.

"I want to see Milla again."

The mood dropped within seconds and everyone looked from Elise to Jude. The young doc rubbed his neck to hide his discomfort but said nothing. Everyone agreed with Elise but that wish would not come true.

Having enough of the tense atmosphere, Leia took the camera and went to Alvin.

"Let's take a picture of all of us together?"

He smiled at her before petting her head in an affectionate way. She really knew a solution for everything.

"Sure."

* * *

It was already late when they had finally finished cleaning up the kitchen and the dining room. Alvin was standing in the kitchen next to Leia and they were drying up the last plates in silence while listening to the hushed conversations of the others as well as the soft music Driselle had brought with her. The atmosphere felt homey and relaxing.

The silence between them was comfortable and they did not feel the need to break it. Giving her a sideway glance, he examined her content face. She hummed to the tune of the music in the room next door while cleaning the last plate. Had it really been only yesterday that they had finally talked about a second chance for their friendship? How come he felt the need to get to know her better and perhaps take another step in their relationship? Had he always felt his way around her or was it just because of this relaxing evening?

"Who would have thought that you could throw such a great party? Perhaps I will ask you to plan something for my birthday?"

She chuckled lightly and putted the cleaned plates back on the shelf.

"I will think about it."

She paused for a second before continuing, her back still facing him.

"Thank you for your help. I would not have been able to finish everything for today without your help."

Turning back to him she found herself face to face with a smiling mercenary.

"I can think of a way to repay me."

She blushed because of the sudden closeness and even though her rational part of her told her to push past him and go back to her guests, she felt as if she was losing herself in his warm eyes. For the first time that she had known him, he looked at her with a genuine smile. He did not know if he was crossing the border and if she would hate him for this, but what he knew was that he wanted to hold her. He wanted her close again.

Without giving it another thought he pulled her slowly in his arms. Time went slowly until she laid against his chest. They both breathed a sigh of relief while leaning against each other. This was what he had wanted to do the entire day.

Placing his head on her shoulder he closed his eyes. For a second he felt her tensing in his embrace and his heart stopped but she took all of his doubts when she gripped his shirt tightly. The music sounded so far away. Although he had been together with Presa ... Jill for some time, he had never felt like this. The warmth Leia gave off lulled him deeper into the comfortable silence and without knowing why, he began to swing with her to the far away music while listening to her heartbeat. He had never been the romantic type, only charming to a woman until he had gotten what he wanted but this moment right now felt different. It felt right having her in his arms.

He had long forgotten about their friends waiting for their return. The only thing that mattered now was enjoying their moment. The whole day he had pondered about why he felt so comfortable and at ease around her when it suddenly hit him. Standing with her in the kitchen, drying dishes, cooking and spending time with her in general made him feel at home. Like family. He had found a place where he felt needed.

Pulling slightly away from her, he brushed his nose along her cheek to her nose to open his eyes. Gazing into her huge green eyes that were heavy-lidded he felt his smile growing as he murmured her name against her slight open lips.

"Leia.. "

It was the last thing he said before his lips collided with hers. At first it was a gentle kiss, to test the waters but with every passing second it grew more passionate. All the tension they had accumulated over the past years, the pent up frustration because of their whole accident and the fear and uncertainty after that horrible day, it came all together and made an explosive cocktail. He had his arms around her middle, pushing her against the counter while she had her hands in his brown mane. They were no longer thinking, just acting on their feelings. She had wanted to pull away a few times but whenever she tried to say something, he captured her lips again.

"A-alvin... The others..."

He smirked against her slight bruised lips while leaning his forehead against her own. Their breathing was heavy but he could care less.

"Don't worry. They will be fine on their own."

"But I am the host of the party and I have to be present. It's my gift for Elise's birthday after all."

Just when he was about to say something on that, they heard Driselle calling her name.

Heaving a sigh he closed his eyes for a second. Why did she have to be such a good-hearted person? Oh yeah, because of her dad... Right. His mind was still clouded and he could see that she wasn't doing any better. What had gotten into them?

"Ok then."

His voice sounded foreign to him. It was hoarse from the kisses and the heavy breath.

The moment he wanted to pull away from the young woman they suddenly became aware of another presence in the kitchen doorway.

Jude was standing there with wide eyes and he had nearly dropped the glasses he had in his hands.

Alvin and Leia exchanged a look and Leia immediately began to apologize even though she did not know why.

"Jude. We are ... Ehm ... Sorry, we…"

Leia was at a loss of words. Her friend was still standing there with no reaction but wide open eyes staring at them. Sure he had known that there was something going on between them but seeing it with his own eyes was something entirely different from joking about it. He felt a pang in his chest and knew that jealousy had hit him again. He felt awful for thinking like this but he could not help himself. Putting the glasses, he had almost broken in his fists, on a table he gave them his most forced smile.

"It's getting late. I just wanted to thank you for the great evening before going."

"You sure about leaving kid? There are spare beds here you know?"

Stupid question. Jude was her childhood friend for crying out loud. Leia could only nod to agree with Alvin. They could not let him leave in this state. But Jude seemed determined about his decision and shook his head.

"I'm staying at my parents' house. No need to worry. Thanks again."

"Jude, wait!"

Leia was running after him while Alvin could only shake his head before following them.

"I am sorry Leia. I don't want to ruin the party. I thought seeing you all again would help me to get better but in the end it reminded me of her much more. I don't know what to do anymore."

The usual cheerful and strong young man looked lost. Leia felt even worse for not noticing him sooner in the kitchen while knowing that her best friend was having a hard time. She did not know what to say. The right thing would be to let him go, wasn't it?

Even Alvin did not know what to say to hold him back or make it up to him.

"Take good care of Leia, Alvin."

There was a hidden threat in his serious tone and the mercenary gave him an earnest look, while putting an arm around her shoulder. Were they a couple already? Leia was no longer following.

"You have my word."

She had never heard him so dead-serious. There was a short silence between them when Jude nodded his head before opening the door. He wanted to step out of the restaurant when he suddenly stopped dead in his tracks. All colour vanished from his face and his eyes were wide open. Alvin and Leia were about to ask him what was wrong when they heard his hoarse whisper.

"Milla…"

Their wish had been granted.

It was a lucky day after all.

**The End**

* * *

_I had to write some Grandpa-Rowen/Elise and brother-sisterly-Alvin/Elise. I think I am not the only one who thought that she was a sweet girl and deserved a big by imagining Rowen calling her grandchild and Alvin hugging her, I feel close to suffocating because of the adorableness.  
_

_About Leia and Alvin, I have to admit that they are a fun couple to write for, it somehow reminds me of Sheena and Zelos of ToS. I know that till the end they had somehow made a huge leap in their relationship. Let's just say that I think that they liked each other from the beginning of the game, not in a romantic but in a friendly way and going from this point, it would definitely be possible for them to get together. (Yeah I know what you are all thinking: lame excuses, but to defend myself... I love that couple^^) _  
_About Jude and Milla, I know that I made him look like a weak boy in my story with his tears and his jealous behaviour but in my opinion I think that after a year of not being able to see her and his work, he would perhaps react like this (Only speculations, but I think you get my point). I was honestly on the edge of tears when Milla 'died' in front of his eyes and judging by his reaction I can assume that he loved/loves her dearly. He deserved a happy ending and it was Elise birthday wish after all. I leave it to your imagination what will happen next. :)_

_Thanks for reading my story!_

_Your FMC_


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